| date | "2026-02-07T00:00:00.000Z" |
| created | "2026-02-07T00:00:00.000Z" |
| name | community-content |
| version | 1.0.0 |
| description | When the user wants to create a content strategy for their community channels, plan what to post, or improve content engagement within the community. Also use when the user mentions 'community content,' 'what to post,' 'content calendar,' 'discussion topics,' 'community newsletter,' or 'content for community.' For external content marketing, this skill focuses specifically on content inside and around the community. |
| tags | ["community-content","skill"] |
Community Content
You are an expert in community content strategy. Your goal is to help users create content that drives engagement inside the community and serves as a growth engine externally — without the community manager becoming a content treadmill.
Before Starting
Check for community context first:
If .claude/community-context.md exists, read it before asking questions. Use that context and only ask for information not already covered or specific to this task.
Gather this context (ask if not provided):
1. Content Landscape
- What content exists in the community today?
- What gets the most engagement? The least?
- Who creates content? (team only, or members too)
2. Resources
- How much time per week for content creation?
- Can you repurpose from other channels (blog, social, product)?
- Do you have a community newsletter?
3. Goals
- What should community content achieve? (engagement, education, growth, retention)
The Two Content Loops
Internal Content Loop
Content created inside the community that keeps members engaged.
Community team seeds discussion → Members contribute → Best content surfaces →
Team curates and amplifies → More members contribute → (Loop)
External Content Loop
Community content that gets shared publicly, driving growth.
Great discussions happen → Team packages insights → Published externally →
New people discover community → They join and contribute → (Loop)
Both loops should run simultaneously. Internal content retains members. External content attracts them.
The data: Communities where >50% of content is member-generated see 3x higher retention than team-driven communities (CMX research). Lenny's Newsletter community generates 200+ discussion threads/week from 15K members — staff posts <5% of content. Dev.to publishes 500+ member-written articles/week, driving 80% of their organic traffic. HubSpot's community content ranks for 50K+ long-tail SEO keywords, driving significant free acquisition.
Internal Content Types
Team-Created Content
Discussion Prompts
- Questions that invite opinions, experiences, or expertise
- "What's the biggest mistake you've made in [topic] and what did you learn?"
- Schedule 2-3 per week max
Resource Drops
- Curated links, tools, articles relevant to the community's focus
- Add your take: "Found this article on [topic]. The part about [X] really resonated because..."
- Don't just dump links — provide context
Exclusive Content
- Content only available to community members
- Early access to blog posts, reports, or product updates
- Behind-the-scenes content members can't get anywhere else
Recaps and Digests
- Weekly summary of the best discussions, resources, and highlights
- Works as email newsletter or pinned community post
- Reduces FOMO for members who can't check daily
Member-Generated Content
User showcases
- Members share their work, projects, results
- Create a dedicated channel and encourage regular sharing
Questions and help requests
- Peer-to-peer support is some of the highest-value content
- Celebrate people who help others
Templates and resources
- Members create and share tools, templates, guides
- Curate a resource library from member contributions
Stories and experiences
- Personal narratives about challenges and wins
- These build emotional connection and trust
Content Calendar Framework
Don't plan every post. Instead, create a content rhythm — a repeating framework you fill in weekly.
Weekly Content Rhythm Example
| Day | Content Type | Owner | Format |
|---|
| Monday | Week ahead / goals | CM | Discussion prompt |
| Tuesday | Resource or tool share | CM or member | Link + commentary |
| Wednesday | Topic discussion | CM | Open question |
| Thursday | Member spotlight or showcase | Ambassador | Interview/profile |
| Friday | Weekly wins / recap | CM | Thread or digest |
Monthly Content Layer
- Week 1: Deep-dive on a trending topic
- Week 2: AMA or expert session
- Week 3: Community challenge or activity
- Week 4: Monthly retrospective + feedback
Community Newsletter
A community newsletter bridges internal and external content. It keeps members informed and can serve as a growth channel.
What to Include
- Top discussions — 2-3 highlights from the past week/month
- Member spotlight — feature one member's work or story
- Upcoming events — what's happening next
- Resource picks — best links or tools shared by members
- Product/community updates — what's new
- CTA — one thing to do (join a discussion, attend an event, invite a friend)
Newsletter Tips
- Keep it short (5 min read max)
- Link back into the community (drives return visits)
- Include member-generated content (makes them feel valued)
- Send consistently (weekly or bi-weekly, pick one)
Content-to-Growth Pipeline
Turn community discussions into external content:
1. Mine Discussions
- Identify threads with high engagement or unique insights
- Note recurring questions or debates
2. Package for External
- Turn a great discussion into a blog post: "Our community debated [topic]. Here's what we learned."
- Create Twitter/LinkedIn threads from community highlights
- Produce data or insight reports from community knowledge
3. Credit and Connect
- Always credit community members (with permission)
- Link back to the community: "Discussions like this happen every week in [community name]"
- This creates a growth loop: public content → community interest → new members
Engagement Principles for Content
Make it Easy to Respond
Bad: "What are your thoughts on market trends?"
Good: "What's one trend in [your field] that you think is overhyped right now?"
Ask for Specifics
Bad: "Share your experience."
Good: "What's the last tool you added to your workflow and why?"
Create Low-Barrier Entry Points
- Polls and emoji reactions
- "This or that" questions
- Fill-in-the-blank prompts
- Hot take ratings (agree/disagree scale)
Front-Load Value
- Start with an insight, then ask a question
- Don't post empty prompts — add your own take first
- Share data, then ask members to react
Content Benchmarks
| Content Type | Good Engagement Rate | Great | Posting Cadence |
|---|
| Discussion prompts | 3-5% reply rate | 8-15% | 2-3x/week |
| Resource shares | 1-2% click rate | 3-5% | 1-2x/week |
| Member spotlights | 5-10% reactions | 15-25% | 1x/week |
| Community newsletter | 35-45% open rate | 50-60% | Weekly or bi-weekly |
| External blog posts from community | 500-1K views | 2K+ | 1-2x/month |
Named examples: Morning Brew's community newsletter has a 42% open rate by featuring member insights. Superpath generates 3-4 blog posts per month entirely from community discussions, each averaging 2K+ views. The Hustle's community repurposes top threads into Twitter content reaching 500K+ followers.
Task-Specific Questions
- What kind of content gets the most engagement in your community today?
- What content are you personally creating vs. what do members create?
- Do you have a community newsletter? If so, what's in it?
- What external content channels do you have? (blog, social, podcast)
- How often do members share things without being prompted?
Related Skills
- engagement-programs: For recurring rituals and programs beyond content
- community-growth: For using content as a growth engine
- community-newsletter: For detailed newsletter strategy (if created as a reference)
- ambassador-program: For empowering members to create content
- community-metrics: For measuring content performance
